This ad-supported website provides engaging, FREE music appreciation resources including music lessons, interactive games, printable sheet music and music theory flashcards designed for kids.

When you get to the site you’ll see three menu choices that include:

*Oliver Octopus Arcade — Play music theory arcade games and learn to identify the whole note, half note, eighth note, etc. Learn note names for the treble and bass clef.

*Print It! — Get free printable sheet music that you can preview and listen to online. From beginner to intermediate players – you’ll find sheet music for the piano, violin, flute, recorder, trumpet and trombone.

*Music Library — THIS IS AN AMAZING RESOURCE! Access an archive of FREE music lessons on video for piano, recorder, flute, clarinet, trumpet, guitar, percussion, and bagpipe. There are even video flashcards for learning music theory!

You’ll also find biographies of great composers in the baroque, classic, romantic, and modern music eras.

Learn the instruments of the orchestra (woodwind, brass, string, percussion, and keyboard) with highlights about their history, how they are played, how they are made, and other fun facts.

Don’t miss the “Homeschool Music Resource Index” of suggested music activities created just for homeschool parents. Print out music lessons that help children learn about tempo, rhythm, pitch, musical symbols, form, and much more.

There’s even a “Jazz Index” with lessons and resources for learning about jazz music and great jazz musicians.This site provides the very best in blending music with educational technology.

Age Range: 5-14 (with parental supervision; all ages can enjoy aspects of the site)

ClickScholar Gayle reminded me of this website that we featured in 2007 and is worth revisiting. She wrote, “ClassicsForKids.com has live radio recordings as well as worksheets and interactive games highlighting various composers, styles of music and music elements. It is practically the only site we have used for music.”

The site, which is continuously updated, is a supplement to the “Classics for Kids” radio program. You will find information on stations that air the show at the website, and you can listen to the archived programs that bring great composers to life through music and stories. You can also download activities and lessons (pdfs) that focus on National Standards for the Arts and Music.

When you get to the site you will see the current month’s featured composer, and a horizontal menu tab below it that includes:

*On The Radio – Includes the current week’s radio show, an archive of past shows, and activity sheets that include wordsearch puzzles, games, and trivia.

This website was developed by an English language and literature teacher who is also the president of a media company that promotes literacy through innovative educational content, resources, and fun games, puzzles, and quizzes.

When you get to the site, scroll down the page to find the menu of free activities that includes:

*Lit Quizzes – Answer multiple choice questions about children’s books such as Watership Down, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, and Dork in Disguise. Can you answer questions about Roald Dahl’s life? (He is the author of such classics as Mathilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, etc.)

*Crossword Puzzles – Brush up on vocabulary, spelling, and logic and reasoning skills with this assortment of puzzles about children’s authors, history, science, and more.

*Bio Quizzes – Answer questions about the lives of famous historical people such as Galileo, Amelia Earhart, Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

When you’re through exploring the games, click on “Word Play” on the horizontal menu at the top of the page. A new page opens called “The Vocabaret.” Click on the words “hundreds of archived word puzzles” in the description to unlock a treasure trove of word plays and puzzles that are sure to challenge and boost your vocabulary.

There is so much content here that I simply could not review it all. Therefore, as always, parents should preview the games for suitability of content and supervise all Internet use.

Age: 4-10 (designed for young children with parental assistance, and fun for all ages)

Gather the kids around the computer for a visual and audio treat about the music of Mozart and the instruments that bring it to life.

Sponsored by a company that sells classical music CDs and CD-ROM products for kids, this website also offers a terrific selection of free, multi-media resources that enable you to learn about the life and music of Mozart and the musical instruments of the orchestra.

When you get to the site, you’ll see information about the products for sale. LOOK over on the right side of the screen where it says “For a taste of what’s inside EVERY KID’S MOZART try these FREE samples.” There is a menu below it that includes:

1) Learn About Musical Instruments – Click on this item and a new screen opens that introduces the instruments of the orchestra including wind, string, and percussion. You’ll hear each instrument play Mozart’s music while the narrator reads a clever poem. Further info about the instrument is displayed for you to read.

2) Play Our Famous Orchestra – Enjoy an interactive game that allows you to identify the different orchestral instruments.

3) Read An Account of Mozart’s Life – As you listen to Mozart’s music, read the pages of a simple biography of Mozart’s life.

4) Listening Lounge – Enjoy a variety of Mozart’s music.

These free activities serve as a wonderful introduction to the music and life of Mozart, as well as the instruments of the symphony orchestra.